Cutoff saw



D. J. SMITH April 20, 1943.

CUTOFF SAW Filed April 15, 1940 nag/I47 4 INVENTDR Dorm/d J. Smifh ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1943 CUTOFF SAW Donald Joseph Smith, Vancouver, British lumbia, Canada, assignor to Reed-Prentice Corporation, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application: April 15, 1940, Serial No. 329,780

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a chain saw intended to be used primarily as a cut-off saw, with the frame of the saw mounted for rocking movement about a fixed axis.

Chain saws of this character have been used extensively as portable chain saws where each end of the saw frame is carried by a person, and the entire saw is thus moved readily from place to place. The rapidity with which the saws operate has resulted in a widespread use. One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide for a mounting of a chain saw of this character so that it may be used as a stationary saw. a In certaininstallations, it has been found desirable to provide. for sawing timber submerged in water, and the present construction is intended to provide for operation of the saw when a greater part of the saw is entirely submerged.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a system by which the saw chain and the frame over which the chain is guided may be competently oiled at all times.

With these and other objects in View, the present invention consists essentially of a cut-off saw comprising a base, a cutter bar pivotally mounted at its inner end on the base, a saw chain extending around the bar, means for moving the saw chain over the bar, and a handle connected to the bar adjacent the pivot end thereof, said handle projecting outwardly at an angle to the bar. whereby said handle may be moved back and forth to raise and lower the cutter bar, as more fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in Which Figure l is a side elevation of the cut-off saw,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view substantially along th line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4, is a fragmentary plan view of the device with the chain removed, and

Figure is a vertical sectional View substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a base ID has a bearing block II on each side thereof and a horizontal shaft I2 is journalled in said blocks. A pair of spaced frames I3 are mounted on or formed with the base I0 and project upwardly therefrom, each being adjacent a bearing block II and having a relatively large central opening l4 therein with a bearing sleeve I5 projecting inwardly therefrom. The inner ends of the bearing sleeves I5 are spaced apart and the shaft I2 extends freely through said sleeves without engaging therewith.

A pair of spaced, elongated side plates I6 are provided, each having a short hub I1 projecting outwardly therefrom for engagement with the bearing sleeves I5, said hubs preferably being located substantially midway between the sides of the plates and somewhat closer to the inner end thereof. One end of a cutter bar or fram I8 is fitted between and secured to the outer ends of the plates H5 in any suitable manner. This bar is provided with the usual peripheral groove 20 while a saw chain 2| extends around the bar and rides in said groove. The outer end of the bar (not shown) may be rounded or it may have a wheel or sprocket mounted therein over which the chain saw rides. When in position, the hubs I1 which form a hub for the cutter bar, slidably fit over the bearing sleeves I5 so that the latter and the frames l3 carry the weight of the cutter bar I8 with its attached plates I 6. A sprocket 22 is mounted on and secured to the shaft I2 between the inner ends of the sleeves I5 in line with the cutter bar and the saw chain 2I extends thereover so that the latter is driven around the cutter bar or frame when the sprocket is rotated. The shaft I2 is connected to a suitable source of power (not shown) in any desired manner, as for example, by a gear 23 located on an end of the shaft I2 and engageable with a suitable cooperating gear, not shown.

Two spaced, elongated side plates 24 are provided, each having an opening 25 adjacent one end thereof through which one of the hubs I1 extends. Each plate 24 engages against the side of, and is secured to one of the plates I6 in any suitable manner, such as by screws 26, and each plate 24 has its longitudinal axis at an angle to the cutter bar It and preferably substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cutter bar. A relatively long handle 21 has its inner end fitted between and secured to the outer ends of theplates 24. With this construction, the han dle 2'! lies approximately at right angles to the cutter bar I8, the latter being arranged to pivot on the sleeves I5. The cutter bar thus pivots on an axis coinciding with the shaft I2 although the shaft forms no part of the support for the cutter bar.

It will be understood that th angular relation between the handle 21 and the longitudinal axis of the cutter bar is such that the handle is easily reached by an operator standing on the saw platform on which the saw construction is mounted. Thus, inmany instances the handle will extend at an angle considerably greater than a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the cutter bar.

If desired, one of the frames |3 may have notches 28 formed in the arcuate upper end thereof for engagement by a. latch 3|. A small housing 30 is mounted on the side of the handle 21 and the latch 3| normally projects downwardly therefrom for engagement with one of the notches 28. A rod 32 is connected to the latch and extends upwardly from the housing terminating at a point adjacent the outer end of the handle. This rod is bent at right angles at its upper end to form a handle 33 by means of which the latch 3| may be manually shifted into and out of engagement with the notches 28. It is preferable to provide means for retaining the latch away from the notches. For example, a block 34 on the handle 21 at the outer end of the rod 32 has a slot 35 through which the handle 33 on the rod projects. When the latch 3| is in engagement with one of the notches 28, the handle 33 lies below the top of the block 34 and when it is desired to release the latch, this handle may be moved out of the slot and onto the top of the block being turned so that it rests thereon, thus withdrawing the latch from the notch and retaining the former above the latter. It will be understood that the latch i resiliently urged into engagement with the notches by any suitable means, not shown.

Each side plate It is formed with a recess 36, see Figure 5, in its inner surface along the outer edge thereof. The bottoms of these recesses are substantially in line with the outer edge of the cutter bar l8 so that the recesses and this bar form a trough 31 through which the saw chain 2| moves. An oil tank 38 is supported above and at one side of the base I U is connected by a small hose line 4|! to the top of one of the side plates Hi, to which it is secured, as at 4|, for the discharge of oil into the trough 31. A control valve 42 is preferably provided in the hose line 40 to control the rate of oil delivery. In this way, oil feeds by gravity from the tank 38 to the trough 31 and thus provides a continual supply of oil to the saw chain 2| as it is fed through the trough.

If desired, a saw handle 43 of any well known construction may be removably or permanently secured to the outer end of the cutter bar l8.

In use, the operator by pulling downwardly on the handle 21 to cause it to pivot about the shaft I2, raises the cutter bar I8 to permit the log, timber or the like to be placed thereunder. When the handle 21 is released, the latch 3| being moved to its withdrawn or inoperative position, the cutter bar moves downwardly by its own weight onto the log, timber or the like. As above stated the shaft I2 is rotated by the source of power (not shown) to drive the saw chain 2| around the cutter bar so that it saws through the log, timber or the like. The weight of the cutter bar is sufficient for feeding the saw through the chamber but, if desired, an additional pressure may be exerted by pressing down on the handle 43 or by pressure against the handle 21. After the cut is completed, the operator raises the cutter bar by bearing down on the handle 21. When the device is at rest, the latch 3| is released and permitted to engage one of the notches 28 so that the cutter bar is locked in any desired position.

This cut-off saw is designed to cut articles of a wide variety of dimension. A particular advantage is that it may be mounted on a raft 'or float and used to cut logs or timber floating on the water. To this end, the base I0 is constructed to permit the cutter bar to swing downwardly therebelow.

The chain saw and the cutter bar are adequately lubricated by the oil supplied to the trough 31 by the hose line 4|! extending from the tank 38. The trough communicates with the peripheral groove of the cutter bar and is located adjacent the pivot thereof and the sprocket so that all these parts are constantly lubricated.

This saw may be constructed in any size and the length of the cutter bar and chain saw may be varied to a great degree, dependent upon the power available. The weight of the cutter bar, chain and the handle 21 is carried by the frames i3 and is accordingly independent of the shaft |2 and the bearings of the blocks As the cutter bar pivots about the axis of the shaft II but is not supported thereby, this movement does not interfere with the operation of the saw or, in other words, the cutter bar may be moved up and down while the chain saw is moving. Any type of power may be used for the operation of the saw.

From the above it will readily be seen that a cut-off saw, particularly of the chain saw type, has been provided which may be used for cutting logs, timber or the like either on land or in the water, said saw being easily manipulated by one man regardless of its size or weight and being pivotable into or out of Working position without interfering with the operation thereof.

Various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims, and therefore the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are disclosed in the prior art or are set forth in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A cut-off saw comprising a base, a cutter bar, a support on the base on which the inner end of the cutter bar is pivoted, a shaft extending through the pivotal support of the bar and independently of the pivotal support, supports for the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a sprocket secured to the shaft in line with the cutter bar, a saw chain extending around the bar and over the sprocket, said saw chain being moved over the bar when the shaft and sprocket are rotated, and a handle connected to the bar adjacent the pivot end thereof, said handle projecting outwardly at an angle to the bar, whereby said handle may be moved back and forth to raise and lower the cutter bar.

2. A cut-off saw comprising a base, a cutter bar having a hub at its inner end, means on the base for rotatably supporting the bar hub, .a suit.- ably supported shaft extending through the hub without engagement with said hub, means for rotating the shaft, a sprocket secured to the shaft in line with the cutter bar. a saw chain extending around the bar and over the sprocket, said saw chain being moved over the bar when the shaft and sprocket are rotated, and a handle connected to the bar adjacent the pivot end thereof, said handle projecting outwardly at an angle to the bar, whereby said handle may be moved back and forth to raise and lower the cutter bar.

3. A cut-off saw comprising a base, a cutter bar having a hub at its inner end, a pair of spaced horizontal bearing sleeves supported upon the base, said sleeves being engageable with the hub of the cutter bar for supporting the bar, a shaft extending through the sleeves and the hub and free from engagement therewith, supports for the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a sprocket secured to the shaft between the adjacent ends of the bearing sleeves and in line with the cutter bar, a saw chain extending around the bar and the sprocket, said saw chain being moved over the bar when the shaft and sprocket are rotated, and a handle connected to the bar adjacent the pivot end thereof, said handle projecting outwardly at an angle to the bar, whereby said handle may be moved back and forth to raise and lower the cutter bar.

4. A timber saw comprising a base having supports thereon, a cutter bar pivotally mounted on the supports, a shaft concentric to the ,pivotal axis of the cutter bar, bearings for the shaft mounted on the base and providing the sole support of the shaft, the latter being independent of the pivotal mounting for the cutter bar, a sprocket on the shaft in alinement with the cutter bar, a saw chain extending around the periphery of the cutter bar and over the sprocket, and means for controlling the angular movement of the cutter bar, whereby the latter may be stationary or may be rocked about its pivotal axis.

DONALD JOSEPH SMITH. 

